Disk water-meter



('No Model.)

, 2 sheets-sheen 1. J. THOMSON. DISK-'WATER METER. No..535,641.

Patented Mar. '12, 1895:.

'J3 WVM/wow@ 40 f4] A mwio@ @a M (No Model.)

2. .fu e e h. S e nv h S 2 m. NT. OE. SM MR 0m HA TW 1w I D Patented Mar. l2

alliez TTED STATES PATENT OFFICE@ JOHN THOMSON, OF BROOKLYN, NEW` YORK, ASSIGNOR TO THE NEPTUNE l METER COMPANY, OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY.

DISK WATER-wlETI-iii.V

SPECIFICATION forming part of LettersPatentNo. 535,641, dated March 12, 1895.

' Application filed April 21,1894. serial natos-181. (No man.)

To all wiz/m, it may concern:

of the United States, residing at Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Disk 1Water-ll/leters, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to disk water meters and consists in a series of improvements to be hereinafter pointed out.

As the invention relates only to the mechanism directly connected with the disk and its casing, it is not deemed necessary to illustrate the complete meter.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of one section of a disk casing exposing the spindle, ball and disk; the latter broken away and tilted up to lie in the horizontal plane of the disk-chamber. Fig. 1"', is a detached sectional detail on the line Z, Of Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a vertical center section through the disk casing and ball, on the line A. Fig. 3 is a1 bottom plan view Of the disk casing showing `a transverse section on the line B. Fig. 4 is an edge View of disk, the thrust-roller removed. Fig. 5 is ani enlarged sectional detail view of the thrust roller, and Fig. 6 is an en-` larged detail sectional view of the disk, on the line C, to show the attachment of the thrustroller stud.

In my Patents Nos. 476,102 and 485,437, I have shown and claimed improved devices for controlling the circumferential thrust, as shown by arrow os, of the disk.

The first improvement of the present application is in relation to and amplification of the aforesaid devices and consists in mounting two thrust rollers, 7, 8 on the projecting studs 9, 10, formed on stud plates 12, and attaching these stud plates to the disk, 13. The rollers operate in slots 14, 15, formed diametrically opposite each other in the outer wall of the disk casing, 16. The principal Object of this arrangement is to increase the durability of the device, as not only do two rollers double the area of the wearing surfaces but, obviously, the action is in more perfect balance, mechanically, when considering the effect of the iiow to the inlet port, as arrow y, and from the outlet port, as arrow, e'. The manner of attaching the stud-plates as here i shown is especially intended in the instance Be it known that I, JOHN THOMSON, a citizen of a disk made from a thin sheet of metal. Thus, slots are first made in the disk, the edges of which are then to be beveled forminga V- section, 17, Fig. 6, and the edges of the plates are then recessed, as 18. lI-Ience, when the plates are forced tightly into the slots, they virtually form a section of the disk and are capable of standing hard usage without loosening. To prevent them from working outward, they mayeither be riveted, as 19, or soldered along their edges. A ready method Of forming the slot in the disk casing is to first out a square open slit, entirely across the casing and then insert a properly constructed piece 2() tO form/the outer inclosing wall. In the instance of using soft metal in the casings, the sides of the slot, aswell as the outer wall,

may all be formed in the inserted piece, as

shown at 22, Figs. l and la this being constructed of any material having the requisite hardness to resist the thrust of the rollers.

The construction of the rollers whereby to successfully withstand the high speed and pressure to which the disk is frequently subjected is of the utmost importance. The construction in Fig. 5 is the result of many practical demonstrations, consisting in first forming a thin metal cup 23, then forcing in a plug of compressed graphite, 24, and finally inclosing the graphite by a plate 25, soldered to the cup. Preferably the head of the cup and the inserted plate are somewhat of wedge-section, thickest at the Outside, as shown. All of the foregoing is to precede the drilling of the center hole, 26, which constitutes the bearing for the stud. Thus, aside only from the thin edges of the metal plates, the bearing of the stud is sustained on the plumbago, this comparatively fragile material being confined against displacement, or a bushing of lignumvitae may be employed in lieu of the graphite, in which case the `metallic sheathing prevents its distortion, particularly when the meter is used for measuring hot water. The durability of this type of roller is beyond comparison with that of solid'metal. Nevertheless a solid metal roller may be employed with fairly satisfactory results.

It is to be particularly observed that when the rollers are disposed at a right angleto the IOO the rollers might be located in any position but such a construction of the slots'would be more difficult. While Ihave shown two rollers there may be more arranged in substantially the same relations. Thus, one may bearranged opposite the diaphragm between the two at the sides, provided its slot were properly curved. v

The second feature of this invention refers to the spindle, the ball and the socket. As is well known, the-only substance heretofore commercially practicable for the construction of the disk and ball of disk-action meters has been hard rubber; which is soon destroyed if used in hot-water. I have found thatby attaching the disk-spindle 30, directly and fixedly to the disk and then adapting thereto spherical ball sections, 8l, having a comparatively free bearing on the spindle as at 32, their edges resting freely against the faces of the disk, the freedom of action and durability is increased due to the fact that the ball-sections are thus free to revolve upon the spindle, thus, from time, to time, changing the wearing surfaces by crossing the wear lines as is said inthe instance of journals having end-shake. Then by counterboring the diskcasing as at 33, to definite stop-shoulders, 34 and adapting lthereto cylindrical bushings, 35--as of hardened steel, compressed graphite, or lignum-vitae-whose inner su rfaces, 36, are swept to the curvature of the ball, we have a combinationwhich successfully adapts this type of meter to a new field of usefulness. So, too, these bushings maybe fitted freely to change their positions rotatively, being thus maintained in position by the disk and ball.

The third feature relates to the control of the oscillating action of the disk, consisting of forming a closed recess or chamber, 37, beneaththe ball and sockets of the disk, into which the lower end, 38, of the Vspindle projects, and in inserting a solid free ball of metal, V39, so as tofact by gravity against the spindle in a proper direction to maintain the disk in contact with th-efrustums. 'Then as the disk-spindle revolves it simplyrolls Vthe ball around in a circuit, the center of the spindle taking the path denoted Vbythe line 40, while the center of the ball traverses the line-4l. The head 42 upon which the ball rolls is to be inclined toward the center to produce the effect described, but this ball is not intended to ll the space between the spindle and the conical side of the chamber, 37; the object of this being to permit the ball to be driven outwardly to relieve the disk in event of obstructions .passing between it and the frustums. it makes contact with the ball is formed to correspond with its curvature; thus providing agreater wearing surface than if the spindle were cylindrical at this section. I have also shown in dotted outline, 43, how the controlling ball may be applied at the upper side vof the disk casing; which also is an indication of how the disk may be controlled from both ends of the spindle; but I regard the arrangement shown in full lines, and to which this description has been directed, as the preferable of the two; the more especially so as it provides a yielding control of the disk by the action of gravity but withoutloading the disk itself and without subjecting the spindle and disk-ball to its centrifugal action. In fact, at high speeds of operation, the controlling ball will then tend to relieve the spindleand 'disk of pressure; exactly opposite from previous devices.

Vhat I claim is- 1. The combination with the disk, diskcasing and friction rollers operating in slots formed in the wall of the disk-casing, of a plate or plates, as 12, secured to the disk and having bearings for lsaid friction rollers, substantially as described.

2. The combination with the disk, disk-casing and friction roller mounted upon the disk, of a wall piece, as 22, inserted in the disk casing to form the bearing for said friction roller, substantially as described.

3. The combination with the disk, diskspindle and disk-casing, of hemispherical sections (constituting the hall of the disk) freely mounted upon said disk-spindle to revolve thereon, substantially as and for-the purpose set forth.

4. The combination with the disk, diskspindle and disk-casing, of a free ball acting by Vgravity against the projecting end of the disk-spindle, whereby the disk is forced into contact with the frustums of the disk-casing, substantially as described.

5. The combination with the disk-casing, disk and disk-spindle, of a chamber extraneous to that of the disk, a free ball arranged in said chamber so as to roll inwardly against the projecting end of the disk-spindle, substantially as described. Y

lIn testimony whereof I have signed my name to thisspecification in the presence of A two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN THOMSON. Witnesses:

EvERi-:Tr L. ABBOTT, Jonv MoKINNoN.

TOO

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